Aldi looking to open second Harrogate supermarketGerman supermarket chain Aldi has added Harrogate to a list of locations where it would like to open a new store.
Budget supermarkets have been making inroads into the Harrogate district in recent years. Aldi opened its first supermarket in Harrogate on Oak Beck Road in 2016 and another store in Knaresborough in 2021.
Aldi’s rival, Lidl, has had a supermarket in Knaresborough for several years and is currently building a new Harrogate store on Knaresborough Road. Lidl also has plans to open a supermarket at St Michael’s Retail Park in Ripon.
The cost of living crisis could see cheaper supermarkets continue in popularity and now Aldi has released a list of over 50 towns and cities, including Harrogate, that it is targeting in the coming years.
The company is offering a finder’s fee for anyone who recommends a suitable site, which it says should measure 20,000 sq foot, be able to accommodate 100 parking spaces and ideally be near a main road.
George Brown, national property director at Aldi UK, said:
“Despite our growth in recent years, some people still don’t have access to a local store, which is why it is our mission to continue on with our ambitious growth plans and change that.”
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Long-awaited resurfacing work to start on busy Ripon roadsOne of Ripon’s busiest thoroughfares will be closed daily between 7am and 5pm for six days from Friday, to enable North Yorkshire County Council to carry out repairs and resurfacing works.
Minster Road, which runs past Ripon Cathedral, along with St Mary’s Gate, are part of an inner-city route that many road users take if travelling to Cathedral Primary School, Aldi, Marks & Spencer food store, and homes on Residence Lane and those accessed off Priest Lane.
Signs, including ones for a diversion route that takes in Allhallowgate, Stonebridgegate, Magdalen’s Road, Rotary Way and the Ripon bypass have been put in place by NYCC.
With the St Mary’s Gate and Minster Road in their present condition, some motorists have been making their own diversionary route to avoid the potholes.
Stewart Readman, used a steel tape measure to emphasise the size of potholes on St Mary’s Gate.
Among them is Ripon resident Stewart Readman, who contacted the Stray Ferret in April to express concern about the state of the city’s roads.
At that time, he said:
“St Mary’s Gate and Minster Road are particularly hazardous and both my daughter and I had to have springs replaced on our cars because of damage caused by the potholes.
“Since then, it’s a route that we have avoided.”
St Mary’s Gate is currently a patchwork of temporarily filled-in potholes.
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With the road repairs and resurfacing due to start in four days, Mr Readman said this morning:
“I will be keeping a close eye on this work, but there are still many other roads in Ripon that also need to be attended to.”
The repair and resurfacing works will be carried out from the junction of Priest Lane with Allhallowgate and St Mary’s Gate and on Minster Road.
A resident, who lives on St Mary’s Gate, added:
“We’ve waited a long time for this pothole problem to be sorted out and I just hope that they make a good job of resurfacing the road
“Hopefully it will be up to the same standard as the resurfacing work on Cathedral Car Park, where the contractors did a great job.”
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No. 15: Shops that opened and closed in 2021It has undoubtedly been a tough year for businesses across the Harrogate district as the effects of the pandemic have continued to be felt.
There have been a number of closures over the year. However, 2021 has also seen some businesses buck the trend, with new shops opening in the district.
Here is a look back at some of the notable business closures and launches in the last year.
Debenhams, Harrogate
For generations, the Debenhams building on Parliament Street has been one of the major retail landmarks in Harrogate.
But sadly at the start of 2021, as the country was in the grip of a third lockdown, the retail giant announced the town’s branch would not be reopening.
The site had been a retail unit on Parliament Street for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.
The building has stood empty ever since its closure.
However, in December the Stray Ferret revealed that developers have submitted plans to demolish it and build 50 apartments on the site, along with two commercial units.
Aldi, Knaresborough
Knaresborough Aldi
A new Aldi supermarket opened its doors to customers in Knaresborough on January 28.
The 8,000 square metre site was built on Swallowtail Way, near the Manse Farm housing development on York Road, after plans were approved in May 2020.
Solita Food Hall, Harrogate
Solita Food Hall
Harrogate’s first food hall opened its doors in May with an aim to serve up a range of different cuisines under one roof.
Solita Food Hall, on Parliament Street, was located in the former Jamie’s Italian building and was set over two floors, including a rooftop terrace.
Under the Shoot the Bull brand, it housed Rupert’s Coffee House, Rotisserie & Grill, Solita Wagyu Burger, Slice Me Nicely Pizza, Cure & Pour Wines and Solita Fish Bar.
However, it wasn’t around for long, closing after just six months in November.
Tomahawk Steakhouse, which had been planning to move into the empty Bistrot Pierre restaurant on Cheltenham Parade, is now planning to move into the large building.
Cut by Farmison & Co, Ripon
Farmison & Co’s boutique butcher shop, Cut
Cut, online butcher Farmison & Co’s first physical shop, opened at the company’s Bondgate Green head office in Ripon in July.
The boutique butcher’s is aimed at showcasing “the crown jewels” of Yorkshire heritage breed meat and allows customers to select from the online range and collect within an hour of placing an order.
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Fi:k, Harrogate and Knaresborough
Vicky Somerville and Luke Morland of Fi:k outside the new café in Harrogate
A Swedish-inspired coffee shop opened its doors in Harrogate in August with ambitious £780,000 plans to roll out the concept across Yorkshire.
Fi:k has renovated 1 Montpellier Gardens, which used to be the home of furniture business Covet.
In December it opened a café on Knaresborough Market Place.
Hotel Chocolat
Queues at the launch of the new Hotel Chocolat store
Queues formed on James Street for the opening of the new, relocated Hotel Chocolat store. Around 30 people waited for the store to open on October 22, with staff serving hot chocolate to them whilst they waited.
The new store is almost opposite the old one, but is larger with a café that can seat 30 people at the back of the shop. The chocolate chain has seen rapid growth in recent years and the new store has had up to 15 staff in the run up to Christmas — double the number of the previous store.
Crimple, Harrogate
Crimple Food Hall
Harrogate’s huge new £6m food hall in Pannal, which overlooks the Crimple Valley, opened its doors in November.
The 48,000 sq ft building, which is simply called Crimple, includes a butchery counter, an in-house bakery and patisserie, a floristry and a 160-seat restaurant.
Crimple has been owned by Graham Watson since 2013. With a personal investment of £4m for the construction, plus £2m for the fit-out, the business-owner created the town’s latest foodie destination in a bid to showcase all the amazing produce the district has to offer.
Previous visitors to Crimple Valley will remember the former antiques centre at the site. This has been completely knocked down and the food hall and restaurant has been built in its place. The garden centre remains and the existing restaurant and terrace has become an events space.
Fattorini, Harrogate
Harrogate’s oldest independent shop, A. Fattorini the Jeweller announced it will close after 190 years of trading
Thought to be the oldest independent jeweller in Harrogate, A. Fattorini, has been located on Parliament Street since 1884.
The announced closure of the Harrogate institution was marked by a closing down sale, which saw people queuing down the street.
It is set to close on January 8, 2022.
63rd+1st, Harrogate
The Manhattan-style cocktail bar at 63rd+1st
Harrogate’s answer to a Manhattan cocktail bar opened its doors in November, with the launch of 63rd+1st.
Decked out in trendy dark blue and gold, and featuring lots of greenery, the restaurant, lounge and bar on Albert Street is aimed at customers who might just want a nibble and a drink after work or a meal out with friends.
The venue was developed by Hostmore PLC, which also includes TGI Fridays as part of its portfolio.
Harrogate’s branch was the third to open in the UK, behind Surrey in May and Glasgow in September.
53 Bo Grove, Harrogate
Kyrensa Bentley when she opened a pancake shack (left) with a general view of 53 Bo Grove
Bohemian Harrogate cafe, antiques and garden centre 53 Bo Grove, on Grove Road, just off Kings Road, closed in December, after more than two years of business.
The business became a vital hub for residents during the early coronavirus lockdowns by staying open at a time when many supermarkets were struggling for stock.
Owner Kyrensa Bentley attempted to improve business by opening a pancake shack and a farm shop on site.
Ms Bentley, who opened the business in September 2019, told the Stray Ferret she made the decision to close after struggling on a number of fronts, including the difficult location and the impact of the pandemic.
She will continue to operate Bo Grove at Oxford Street, which opened in November 2020.
Harrogate woman buys cauliflower the size of egg from AldiA Harrogate woman was reduced to laughter when she discovered the cauliflower she had planned to cook for dinner was in fact the size of an egg.
Sarah Stead visited the Aldi store in Harrogate on Thursday to do her usual weekly shop but got a surprise when she started to prepare her meal that night.
When she began peeling away the numerous leaves she discovered the vegetable itself was in fact as small as an egg.
She said:
“It was in the offer section for 59p but still I didn’t expect to be this small! I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw it.”
She said it looked like a normal cauliflower in its packaging.
She added:
“I hope no one else has one in their house they’re yet to cook with. They’re going to get a shock.”
This was the cauliflower Ms Stead discovered when she got home.
Ms Stead had hoped to cook cauliflower cheese for dinner but had to change her plans.
She returned to the store next day and received a full refund. She added she found the situation more amusing than annoying and thought it was a funny story to tell.
Aldi had not responded to our request for comment by the time of publication.
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Bid to open Lidl in Ripon wins support of city council
Plans for a Lidl supermarket in Ripon have won the support of the city council.
Council leader Andrew Williams described a planning application by the German supermarket chain as a ‘win, win, win, situation’.
He said:
“It will bring 40 new jobs, increase choice for Ripon’s residents and also serve our growing population, with the new homes that we have coming on stream.”
Cllr Williams was speaking at last week’s full city council meeting at which he and fellow members supported Lidl’s planning application.
Lidl will join M&S Food at St Michael’s Retail Park if its plans are approved.
Harrogate Borough Council will decide whether to accept Lidl’s application to open a 1,100 square metre store at the £10 million St Michael’s Retail Park.
But the backing of Ripon City Council suggests there is support locally for the plan.
The Rotary Way site, off the bypass, is already home to a Marks & Spencer Food outlet, which opened last July.
Ripon, with a population of 17,000-plus and growing, is well-served by supermarkets, with Aldi, Booths, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s also trading in the city.
Lidl put forward its Ripon proposal following an online consultation.
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Following the consultation, a spokesperson from Lidl GB said:
“Many people have welcomed the proposed Lidl store, which would bring competition, increasing choice and providing a boost to the local economy through job creation.
“Many also mentioned that a store on this site would reduce the need to travel out of the city to shop and therefore keep expenditure in Ripon.”
The supermarket has also submitted an application to open its first Harrogate store on the site of the former Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road.
Fultons Foods to close Ripon store on SundayRipon will see one of its value retailers close on Sunday.
Fultons Foods, which has operated in The Arcade for many years, is shutting up shop.
It joins a list of retailers to close in Ripon since the first covid lockdown last March.
A Stray Ferret reader, who asked not to be named, said:
“This is very sad news. Many people with limited income have been shopping there.”
This week store staff were busy clearing shelves and emptying freezers ahead of the weekend closure.
The Yorkshire retailer has more than 100 stores in the north of England, including two in Harrogate and one in Knaresborough.
It is understood that only the Ripon Fultons store in the Harrogate district is closing.
Over the 50 years since the business was established, Fultons has sold branded goods, including frozen foods, groceries and chilled foods at bargain basement prices.
Wren’s department store, which was home to more than 50 small independent retailers, closed at the end of November.
The Stray Ferret asked Frozen Value Ltd – which trades as Fultons Foods – what prompted its closure decision and what would happen to existing staff.
No response had been received at the time of going to press.
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Fultons’ soon-to-be vacant unit in The Arcade was previously occupied by a small Marks and Spencer food store.
M&S opened a purpose-built store in Rotary Way, Ripon last summer and could soon have Lidl as one of its neighbours at St Michael’s Retail Park.
If Lidl receives planning permission, it will bolster Ripon’s value retailer offering, alongside the Aldi in Stonebridgegate.
Fultons’ impending closure is the latest retail loss in Ripon city centre.
Other businesses to shut recently include Wrens, the city’s only department store, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Ponden Home and Jon Barrie menswear.
Knaresborough’s first Aldi set to open tomorrowA new Aldi is set to open in Knaresborough at 8am tomorrow, Thursday 28.
The 8,000 square metre site has been built on Swallowtail Way, near the Manse Farm housing development on York Road.
The store will employ 38 staff and in addition to the usual Aldi products have a food to go section.
The site includes 114 car parking spaces, plus two motorcycle bays and two spaces for electric cars.
The site has 114 car parking spaces.
The planning application, which was supported by 69 people, was approved in May.
One supporter said it could mean fewer people going into the town centre for their big shop, limiting congestion.
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Store manager Matthew Washbrook said:
“We’re really looking forward to opening the first Aldi store here in Knaresborough.
“It’s set to be a great day and it’ll be lovely to welcome our new customers into the store and provide them with access to affordable, high-quality food.”
The store plans to work with local charities and food banks in Knaresborough.
The company has asked interested food banks to contact Neighbourly, a community engagement platform, to allow them to collect surplus or perishable food.
Charities wanting to work with the store are asked to email aldi@neighbourly.com.
Marks & Spencer likely to open Ripon store in mid JulyMarks & Spencer is likely to open its M&S Food store in Ripon in mid July, The Stray Ferret understands.
The M&S store, on Rotary Way, was originally due to open on April 29 but that was put on hold because of coronavirus.
It is part of the £10 million Saint Michael’s Retail Park development. A spokesperson for M&S said:
“We’re working hard to finish our Ripon store and as soon as we have more information on the opening we will update the community.”
The new store, located close to the Ripon bypass, was first granted planning permission by Harrogate Borough Council in 2017. It will provide up to 80 new jobs, including people who have been recruited locally.
Ripon is currently served by four supermarkets – Aldi, Booths, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
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German budget supermarket Lidl, which already has a store in Chain Lane, Knaresborough, has announced that it plans to open up to 89 new stores in Yorkshire and has Harrogate and Ripon on its list, saying:
The company, which is hoping to double the number of stores it has in the UK added, that it was looking for ‘prominent sites in town, district, edge of centre or out of town locations, ideally with main road frontage with easy access and strong pedestrian or traffic flow.’
“We want to double our portfolio. To continue our phenomenal growth we require further sites across the country.”
The proposed locations for Lidl stores in Ripon and Harrogate is not as yet known.